Attachment for type-writing machines.



Patented Nov. 25, [902.

No. 7l4,l32.

w. 0. BLACK, ATTACHMENT FOR TYPE WRITING MACHINES. (Application filed Mar. 1, 1902.}

' 4Sheets-Sheet I;

(No Model.)

Patented Nov. 25, I902.

W. 6. BLACK.

ATTACHMENT FOR TYPE WRITING MAGHINES..

(Application filed Mar. 1. 1902., (-No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Patented Nov. 25, I902.

W. vC. BLA

CK. T FOR TYRE WRITING MACHINES.

(Application filed Mar. 1, 1902.,

ATTAGHMEN 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No M udal.)

\ '&

no Yo-uma, mmmxmcrompw c.

Patented Nov. 25. I902. W. 6. BLACK. ATTACHMENT FOR TYPE WRITING MACHINES.

(Application filed Mar. 1. 1902 4 Sheats-$heet- 4.

UNITED STATES ATEN Tries.

WILLIAM C. BLACK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, OF SEVEN-EIGHTHS TO CHARLES F. LANGDON, ALFRED R. URION, REUBEN O. DICKINSON, AND FRANK B. GIFFORD,

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ATTACHMENT FOR TYPE-WRITING MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 714,132, dated November 25, 1902.

Application filed March 1, 1902.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM 0. BLACK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Attachments for Type- Writing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to attachments for type-writing machines,and has reference more particularly to certainimprovements in that class of attachments which are designed to provide an auxiliary ink ribbon or strip intended to substitute the use of the ordinary carbon-sheets in making additional or multiple copies of the record produced by the machine. Attachments of the general character to which my present invention relates are illustrated in the United States Letters Patent to F. P. Gorin, Nos. 649,513 and 649,514, granted May 15, 1901.

My presentinvention embodies the general principle underlying the aforesaid patented devices, but comprehends certain improvements thereon having for their principal objects to facilitate the insertion of the paper into the machine and the proper disposition of the auxiliary ink-ribbon relatively thereto and also the provision of an automatic inking device for the auxiliary ink-ribbon, whereby the latter may be constituted by an endless loop which is given a limited intermittent travel with each returnifiio've'ment of the carriage, and the use of'winding-spools at either end of the ribbon, with means-for alternating the direction of rotation of these spools, may be done away with.

Other minor objects of the invention and advantages secured thereby will appear later in the subjoined description.

My invention in its preferred form is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of the top portion of a type-writing machine of a standard make, such as the well-known Remington machine, the carriage being thrown up and back to more clearly illustrate the nature and construction of my improved attachment. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, on an enlarged scale,

Serial No. 96,238, (No model.)

of the right-hand end of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 2, drawn to the same scale. Fig. 4 is an end view of the feed-roll and those parts of the carriage immediately adjacent thereto and showing two sheets of paper entered therein. Fig. 5 is a sectional detail view substantially through the central longitudinal vertical plane of the roller and illustrating my improved mechanism for effooting the feed of the auxiliary ink-ribbon upon the return or idle movement of the carriage. Fig. 6 is an isolated detailin longitudinal vertical section, illustrating the means I have devised for mounting and supporting the endless ink-ribbon at one end thereof and for effecting a continuous supply of ink thereto to constantly maintain its capacity for producing a clear and fresh record. Fig. 7 is an isolated detail, on an enlarged scale, of a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 5 for effecting the feed of the ink-ribbon as the carriage moves in one direction and permitting the ribbon to be unaffected by the travel of the carriage in the opposite direction; and Figs. 8 to 12, inclusive, are detail views, somewhat in the nature of diagrams, designed to illustrate progressively the manner of applying the paper to the machine and introducing the auxiliary ink-ribbon in proper position between the sheets thereof.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 13 designates the upper or top portion of the stationary frameof a type-writing machine carrying the rear stationary rod or bar 14, on which is mounted to travel the usual reciprocating roll-carrying carriage, (designated as an entirety by 15.) I

16 indicates the usual roller or platen,about which the paper is guided and which constitutes a back or support for the paperin receiving the blows of the type-bars and the impressions from the type thereof. These and the remaining parts of the carriage herein illustrated are so well known in connection with the type-Writing machine of the class referred to that further detail descripv tion is unnecessary.

Referring,then,to the parts constituting my present improvement, 18 designates a pair of brackets secured at their intermediate portions and rear ends to the parallel rods 19 and 20, respectively, and at their lower or forwardly-projecting ends supporting a hollow rod 21, which occupies a position on the under side of the carriage parallel with and substantially in the plane of the bottom or lower edge of the roller 16 when the carriage is in its lowered or operative position. The lefthand end of the rod 21, as shown in Fig. 1, is entered by a smaller sliding rod 22, which constitutes an adjustable extension of the hollow rod 21, the rod 22 being backed by a spring 23 to normally maintain said rod thrust outwardly, this movement being limited by means of a cotter-pin 24, fixed transversely in the rod 22 and playing through a slot 25 in the rod 21.

Secured rigidly upon the outer ends of the rods 21 and 22, respectively, are a pair of arms 26 and 27, which arms carry on their outer or free ends a pair of boxes 28 and 29, respectively, containing rollers 30 and 31, (see Figs. 2, 3, and 6,) around which is trained an endless strip or ribbon 32, constituting the auxiliary ink-ribbon designed to replace the usual carbon-sheets now in common use. It will be observed that the ribbon 32 is so supported as to lie parallel with the roller 16, while its described manner of support permits it to be adjusted toward and from said roller by virtue of the fact that its longitudinal supporting-rod 21 is so mounted as to be capable of turning in its supporting-brackets 18. The ribbon is normally held against the face of the roller by a spring 33, one end of which is secured to a lug or screw 34, projecting radially from a sleeve 35, fast on the rod 21, the other end of the spring being connected to the hinge-rod 20 of the carriage. In order to fix a proper limit to the inward movement of the ribbon and its carrying arms against the roller 16, the right-hand bracket 18 and the sleeve 35 may be conveniently provided with contacting shoulders, as indicated at 18 and 35, respectively.

In order to effect the travel of the endless ribbon 32 around its supporting-rollers, I provide one of the latter (herein shown as the right-hand roller) with a driving mechanism which is designed to be rendered operative during and by the return travel of the carriage and to be inoperative during the opposite travel of the carriage when the recording operation is proceeding. Referring to this mechanism, 36 designates as an entiretya short arbor one portion of which is square in cross-section, as indicated at 36, while the remaining portion is rounded in cross-section, as shown at 36*, it being observed that the rounded portion of the arbor constitutes a reduction of the squared portion, whereby the direct transverse extent of the former is 00-,

equal with the diameter of the latter. The free end of the rounded portion of this arbor is rotatably mounted alongside of and parallel with the arm 26 in a bracket 37, constituting an end extension of the sleeve 35, and this portion of the rod has loosely mounted thereon a pinf p 3 8, adapted for en agement with a fixed toothed rack 39, mounted on the top surface of thmatiafiry machine-frame 13,as more particularly hereinafter described. The opposite or squared end 36 of the rod passes through transverse holes formed through the sides of the box 28 of sufficient size to permit the squared end of the rod to turn freely therein, and has mounted thereon between the side walls of said box'the supporting-roller 30, already referred to. Referring again and in detail to the means for driving the arbor 36, it will be observed by reference to Figs. 1 and 7 that the pinion 38, which, as before stated, is loosely mounted on the arbor 36, has formed on one face thereof an annular drum 38, within whichjsmmoul ted a spring-pressed payn noymt nose of which rides over the periphery of a small ratchetwheel 41, which is fast on the rounded portion of the arbor 36. It follows from this construction that the rotation of the pinion 38 in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 7 (which is the direction of rotation imparted by the rack 39 when the carriage is on that movement during which the recording operation is taking place) will not turn the arbor 36, and consequently will produce no feed of the ribbon 32, while the opposite rotation of the pinion 38 (which is that caused by the return movement of the carriage) will eEect a positive rotation of the arbor 36 and a consequent rotation of the ribbon around its rollers.

The roller-supporting boxes 28 and 29 are slidably mounted upon their carrying-arms 26 and 27, being prevented from disengagement with said arms by pins 26 and 27, respectively,while the boxes are normally maintained in the position shown in Fig. 1 at the outer end of said arms by means of springpins 26 and 27", respectively, which springpins may be depressed into underlyinggrooves formed in the adjacent faces of the arms in order to permit the roller-supporting boxes to ride over them when the latter are adjusted inwardly-as, for instance, to the dotted-line position indicated in Fig. 1-in which latter position, it will be observed, the driving-roller 30 passes from the squared portion of the arbor 36, upon which the roller is operatively mounted, to the rounded portion, upon which the roller is adapted to be idle.

The curved elastic paper-guides,disposed at either end of the roller by which the paper is usually guided and held closely against the surface of the roller, are in the usual constructions made integral throughout or in two or more parts so united as to be incapable of yielding outwardly from the roller except to the limited extent permitted by the natural elasticity of the metal. In my present invention, in view of the fact that the auxiliary ink-ribbon when in operative position is designed to lie under these guides,

IIO

but in priming the machine for use is to be swung outwardly therefrom, I hinge the outer or free portions of these guides (designated by 42) at 43 to the rear or shank portions 44 of said guides, which latter are ordinarily adjustably secured to the front bar 45 of the roller-supporting frame. The parts 42 thus constitute curved spring guide-fingers which when it is desired to swing the ribbon 32 to or from the roller can be thrown upwardly and out of the way, as best illustrated in Figs. 8 to 11, inclusive. In order that the fingers 42 when thus elevated may be held in such position temporarily, any suitable temporary holding device may be employed, that herein shown consisting of a leaf-spring 46, the free end of which snaps over a projecting lug 47, formed on thebase or hinge of the finger itself. This device serves to hold the finger positively in its operative as Well as its retracted position, as shown by Fig. 12. The tips of the fingers 42 when in operative position against the feed-roll normally just overlie the upper edge of the scale-bar 48, as plainly shown in Fig. l.

Referringnow to Fig. 6, Iwill next describe my improved device for maintaining a continuous supply of ink to the endless ribbon or tape 32. It will be observed that the box 29 is divided by a longitudinal partition 49 into two chambers 50 and 57 the former constituting the ink-well receptacle, adapted to be filled through an aperture 52, guarded by a spring-plate closure 53, and the latter containing the supporting-roller 3i for the ribbon and adjacent thereto an inking-roller 54, over the peripheryof which the rear or underlying half of the endless ribbon is trained. That end of the ink-receptacle which is adjacent the inking-roller 54 is closed by a perforated partition or screen 55, against the outer side of which lies an ink-pad 56, formed of any suitable absorbent material, the inner end of which lies in contact wit-h the periphery of the inking-roller 54. The pad 56 is adapted to be retained in place by an angleplate 57, one side of which isin line with and constitutes virtually an extension of the end wall of the box 29, the other wall being longitudinally slotted, as shown at 50, and overlapping the adjac'ent side wall of the inkchamber. A small thumb-screw 58, passing through this slot and into the underlying wall of the chamber, constitutes a simple means whereby the position of the angle-plate relatively to the perforated wall or screen may be adjusted, thus more or less condensing the absorbent material disposed therebetween and thus regulating the supply of ink through capillary attraction to the inking-roller 54.

In order to prevent the record made by the anxiliaryink-ribbon from being inversely impressed upon the back of the outer or original record-sheet, it is necessary to provide a protecting-strip which shall overlie the outer or under face of the ribbon, so as to occupy a position between the latter and the outer or original sheet of paper. Such a protectingstrip I have shown broken away at the ends of the auxiliary ink-ribbon in Fig. 1, the sections of the protecting-strip being there designated by 59. In order to hold this strip securely in place, the roller-boxes 28 and 29 may conveniently be equipped with endwise extensions 28 and 29 on the base-plates thereof, upon which extensions are mounted suitable clamps 60, adapted to firmly hold in place the ends of the strip, but made readily removable, so as to permit the Withdrawal of a soiled and used-up strip and the application in place thereof of a fresh strip.

The operation of my improvement is as follows, reference being had at first to Figs. 8 to 12, inclusive, which illustrate progressively the several operations gone through in priming the machine: The carriage being down and the auxiliary ink-ribbon lying against the bare surface of the roller, the inner and outer sheets of paper (designated by A and B, respectively) are inserted in the usual manner, being brought to substantially the position illustrated in Fig. 8 by the partial rotation of the roller, wherein it will be seen that their free ends lie outside of the auxiliary ribbon 32. The carriage then being raised, as indicated in the several views referred to, the guide-fingers 42 are first thrown upwardly, as shown in Fig. 8. The operator next separates the projecting ends of the sheetsA and B by bending down the latter sheet over the upper edge of the scale-bar 48, as plainly shown in Fig. 9, and immediately thereafter while holding the sheet B thus depressed with the other hand swings the ink-ribbon on its pivoted carrier outwardly substantially radially from the roller, in which operation the ribbon readily snaps over the upwardlyprojecting end of the sheet A, so as to lie outside thereof, all as plainly shown in Fig. 10. The operator next successively allows the ribbon and the downwardly-bent end of the sheet B to snap back into place against the face of the roller, which brings the parts into the positions illustrated in Fig. 11. The next operations consist in snapping downwardly the guide-fingers 42, as shown in Fig. 12, whereupon upon lowering the carriage the machine is fully primed and ready for operation. When the carriage is in its lowered or operative position, the pinion 38 is always in mesh with the rack 39. During that travel of the carriage in which the recording operation takes place, which is from right to left, as shown in Fig. 1, the pinion is turned idly i on its arbor 36 and there is no longitudinal travel of the ink-ribbon 32. the carriage is return ed for the next operative movement thereof, the pinion 38 is rotated in the opposite direction by its engagement with the rack 39, which imparts a rotation to the arbor 36 and through it to the roller 30 on the shaft thereof, which latter by frictional contact effects a longitudinal travel of the ribbon 32, thereby effecting an automatic reinking When, however,

of said ribbon and producing a uniform wear throughout the entire extent of the ribbon. It will be observed that the spring 23 by forcing apart the two ribbon-carrying arms 26 and 27 maintains the ribbon at all times at the necessary degree of tension to insure its retention in proper position to be struck by the type-bars against the frictional effect of the paper sheets, which move transversely thereto on either side thereof during the feed of the paper through the machine. Whenever but a single record is to be made and the impression-ribbon 32 is not needed, the springpins 26 and 27 are depressed into their underlying grooves and the ribbon and its supporting-boxes are slid inwardly upon the arms .26 and 27 to the dotted-line position shown in Fig. 1, wherein it will be observed the driving-roller 30 is mounted upon the circular portion of the arbor 36, and consequently there is no feed of the ribbon during the travel of the carriage in either direction. This provision of means for moving the auxiliary ribbon out of the way when its use is not desired and rendering the same inoperative without removing it from the machine constitutes an important feature of my invention.

Itis obvious that the hereinabove-described attachment is capable of application to and use in connection with a great variety of typewriting machines, and hence I desire it to be understood that my invention is by no means limited to its use in connection with any particular type or make of machine.

I do not limit myself to the precise mechanical details herein shown and described, since it is obvious that the same might be varied to a considerable extent by the substitution of mechanical equivalents without departing from the principle and spirit thereof.

I claim- 1. In a type-writing machine, the combination with the usual carriage and its feedroll, of an ink-ribbon disposed longitudinally of the face of the feed-roll, and a carrier therefor pivotally mounted on the under side of the carriage, whereby the ribbon may be swung outwardly substantially radially from the roll to permit the insertion of a sheet of paper thereunder, substantially as described.

2. In a type-writing machine, the combination with the usual carriage and its feedroll, of an endless ink-ribbon disposed longitudinally of the face of the feed-roll, a carrier therefor pivotally mounted on the carriage, and means automatically operated by the travel of the carriage for effecting a longitudinal feed of said ink-ribbon, substantially as described.

3. In a type-writing machine, the combination with the usual carriage and its feedroll, of an endless ink-ribbon disposed longitudinally of the face of the feed-roll, a carrier therefor pivotally mounted on the carriage, an automatic inking mechanism for said ribbon, and means automatically operated by the travel of the carriage for effecting a longitudinal feed of said ribbon, substantially as described.

4. In a type-writing machine, the combination with the usual carriage and its feedroll, of a rod rotatably mounted on said carriage parallel with the feed-roll, a pair of laterally-projecting arms fast on the ends of said rod, rollers mounted on the free ends of said arms, an endless ink-ribbon mounted on and between said rollers, and driving mechanism for one of said rollers automatically operated by the travel of the carriage to thus effect a feed of the ink-ribbon, substantially as described.

5. In a type-Writing machine, the combination with the usual carriage and its feedroll, of a rod rotatably mounted on said carriage parallel with the feed-roll, a pair of laterally-projecting arms fast on the ends of said rod, rollers mounted on the free ends of said arms, an endless in k-ribbou mounted on and between said rollers, a spring normally tending to hold said ink-ribbon against the face of the feed-roll, and driving mechanism for one of said rollers automatically operated by the travel of the carriage to thus effect a feed of the ink-ribbon, substantially as described.

6. In a type-writing machine, the combination with the machine-frame and the usual carriage and its feed-roll mounted to recipro cate thereon, of an ink-ribbon carrier pivotally mounted on said carriage and adapted to be swung to and from the feed-roll, an endless ink-ribbon rotatably mounted in said ribbon-carrier and disposed parallel with the feed-roll, and driving mechanism for said inkribbon one element of which is mounted on the machine-frame and the other on the carriage, said driving mechanism serving to effect the feed of the ribbon automatically during the return movement of the carriage, substantially as described.

'7. In a type-writing machine, the combination with the machine-frame and the usual carriage and its feed-roll mounted to reciprocate thereon, of an ink-ribbon carrier pivotally mounted on said carriage and adapted to be swungto and from the feed-roll, an endless ink-ribbon rotatably mounted in said ribbon-carrier and disposed parallel with the feed-roll, a spring normally tending to draw said ribbon-carrier toward the feed-roll, and driving mechanism for said ink-ribbon one element of which is mounted on the machineframe and the other on the carriage, said driving mechanism serving to effect the feed of the ribbon automatically during the return movement of the carriage, substantially as described.

8. In a type-writing machine, the combination with the machine-frame and the usual carriage and its feed-roll mounted to reciprocate thereon, of an ink-ribbon carrier pivot ally mounted on said carriage and adapted to be swung to and from the feed-roll, an endless inkribbon rotatably mounted in said ribbon-carrier and disposed parallel with the feed-roll, an automatic inking device also mounted on said ribbon-carrier, a spring normally tending to draw said ribbon carrier toward the feed-roll, and driving mechanism for said ink-ribbon one element of which is mounted on the machine-frame and the other on the carriage, said driving mechanism serving to efiect the feed of the ribbon automatically during the return movement of the carriage, substantially as described.

9. In a type-writing machine, the combination with the machine-frame and the usual carriage and its feed-roll mounted to reciprocate thereon, of an ink-ribbon carrier pivotally mounted on said carriage parallel with the axis of the feed-roll, ribbon-supporting rollers rotatably mounted on said carrier, an endless ink-ribbon extending around and between said rollers, a driving-arbor for one of said rollers rotatably mounted in said ribboncarrier, a driving-pinion on said arbor, and a stationary rack on the machine-frame adapted-to engage said pinion when the carriage is in its lowered position, substantially as described.

10. In a type-writing-machine attachment of the character described, the combination with an endless auxiliaryink-ribbon disposed parallel with the axis of the feed-roll, of a support or carrier therefor, the same comprising a rod rotatably mounted on the feedroll carriage, a pair of laterally-extending arms rigid on the ends of said rod, roller-supporting boxes mounted on the outer ends of said arms, rollers journaled in said boxes around which said in k-ribbon is trained, and an automatic ribbon-inking device carried by one of said boxes, substantially as described.

11. In a type-writing-machine attachment of the character described, the combination with an endless auxiliary in k-ribbon disposed parallel with the axis of the feed-r011, of a support and tensioning device therefor, the same comprising an extensible rod rotatably mounted on the feed-roll carriage, a spring normally tending to elongate said rod, a pair of laterally-extending arms rigid on the ends of said rod, and rollers supported on the outer ends of said arms around which said ink-ribbon is trained, substantially as described.

12. In a type-writing-machine attachment of the character described, the combination with an endless auxiliary ink-ribbon disposed parallel with the axis of the feed-roll, of a support or carrier therefor, the same comprising a rod rotatably mounted on the feedroll carriage, a pair of laterally-extending arms rigid on the ends of said rod, roller-supporting boxes mounted on the outer ends of said arms, rollers journaled in said boxes around which said ink-ribbon is trained, an automatic ribbon-inking device carried by one of said boxes, and a driving-arbor engaging the ribbon-roller in the other box, substantially as described.

13. In a type-writing-machine attachment of the character described, the combination with an endless anxiliaryink-ribbon disposed parallel with the axis of the feed-roll, of a support or carrier therefor, the same comprising a rod rotatably mounted on the feedroll carriage, a pair of laterally-extending arms rigid on the ends of said rod, roller-supporting boxes slidably mounted on the outer ends of said arms, and rollers journaled in said boxes around which said ink-ribbon is trained, substantially as described.

14. A type-writing-machine attachment of the character described, comprising an endless auxiliary ink ribbon disposed parallel with the axis of the feed-roll, a rod rotatably mounted on the feed-roll carriage parallel with the axis thereof, a pair of laterally-extending arms rigid on the ends of said rod, roller-supporting boxes slid-ably mounted on said arms, rollers journaled in said boxes around which said ink-ribbon is trained, a driving-arbor for one of said rollers mounted and extending parallel with and adjacent one of said arms, the outer portion of said arbor being adapted to operatively engage said roller and the inner portion thereof to inoperatively engage said roller, and a drivingpinion on said arbor, in combination with a stationary rack on the machine-frame with which said pinion is engaged when the carriage is in its lowered or operative position, substantially as described.

15. In a type-writing machine, the combination with an ink-ribbon, of a support or carrier therefor containing a pair of rollers around which said ribbon is trained, and an automatic inking device for said ribbon, the same comprising a box or casing in which one of said ribbon-rollers is journaled, an ink-receptacle in said box, an inking-roller journaled in said box in a position to be engaged and rotated by frictional contact with said ribbon, and a body of absorbent material disposed between said ink-receptacle and said in king-roller, substantially as described.

16. In a type-writing machine, the combination with an ink-ribbon, of a support or carrier therefor containing a pair of rollers around which said ribbon is trained, and an automatic inking device for said ribbon, the same comprising a box or casing in which one of said ribbon-rollers is journaled, an inkreceptacle in said box having a perforated end wall, an ink-roller mounted in said box in a position to be frictionally engaged by the ribbon in its travel, a pad of absorbent material covering the perforated side of said ink-receptacle and frictionally contacting the periphery of said inking-roller, and an adj ustable containing device for said pad adapted to vary the density thereof to regulate the supply of ink to the inking-roller, substantially as described.

WILLIAM 0. BLACK. Witnesses:

SAMUEL N. Pom), L. F. MOCREA. 

